Michael Canty Memorial Fund

The 10th annual Mike Canty Family Fun Run was held Sunday September 4, 2011 in the Central Park Pavilion, Schenectady, NY. Once again the Fun Run was a tremendous success and raised over $35,000 for Mike’s Memorial Fund.  The 2012 Fun Run is scheduled for Sunday September 2, 2012.

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On September 11, 2001, Michael’s life was taken on the 92nd floor of the World Trade Center. Mike was a 30-year old beautiful, caring person, and a special gift to us all. We are thankful that Michael was part of our lives. We are thankful for so many happy and precious memories that will be with us for as long as we live.

To honor Michael’s legacy, our family has established the Michael Canty Memorial Fund, to provide scholarships and awards in Mike’s memory.

Mike had an easy way of recalling his childhood imagination, and his nieces and nephews adored him. Kids were a central part of Mike’s life and he really knew how to make them smile. He gave, mostly in the way of love, support, and humor. The scholarship fund created in Michael’s name will allow him to continue to give to children in need for many years to come.

This web-page provides detailed information about Mike’s Memorial Fund and is divided into the following three sections:

1) Donor Information

2) Recipient Information

3) Memorial Fund Guidelines

1) Donor Information:

From its inception in 2001, Mike’s Memorial Fund met with tremendous success and the Fund has received contributions from many corporations and individuals. The market value of fund assets stood at $778,177 at May 31, 2011. The fund is a qualified charity and contributions are tax deductible under the IRS code section 501©(3). If you are interested in contributing, please make check payable to “Michael Canty Memorial Fund”, and mail to: 

We would like to keep you aware of the awards being made in Michael’s memory throughout the years. You are always welcome to contact Mike’s parents Kay & Ed Canty at 518-346-7138 with any questions.

2) Recipient Information:

Schenectady High School Scholarship Awards:
Mike’s Fund was established in 2001 with a primary goal of funding scholarships at Schenectady High School. As of May 31, 2011, a total of $247,000 has been committed for scholarships at Schenectady High School. The following ten students have received Michael R. Canty Memorial Scholarships:

Class of 2011: Kelly Spencer freshman at SUNY at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY
Class of 2010: Bonnie Fitzgerald sophomore at School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Class of 2009: Sara Bonacquist junior at SUNY Coll. of Environ. Sci. & Forestry.
Class of 2008: Brynna Baldauf senior at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Class of 2007: Joshua Flacke graduate at Clarkson University.
Class of 2006: Seamus McNamee-Perez graduate at Sacred Heart University.
Class of 2005: Kelsey Lupo 2009 graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Class of 2004: Akil Middleton 2008 graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Class of 2003: Anna Hendrick 2007 graduate of Boston University.
Class of 2002: Patrick Meade 2006 graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Loyola College Financial Aid:
A financial award has also been established in Mike’s memory at his college, Loyola College in Baltimore, MD. The Loyola award is used to assist students who incur financial setbacks during the school year because of such things as a death in the family, a layoff of a financial provider, or a serious illness of an immediate family member. As of May 31, 2010, $13,000 has been contributed to the Mike Fund at Loyola College.

Sponsor-A-Scholar Program:
Mike’s Fund participates as a sponsor in The Capital Region Sponsor-a-Scholar program by sponsoring students at Schenectady High School. This program assists and encourages economically disadvantaged young men and women to graduate from high school and attend college. The program has over a 92% success rate of getting their students into college.

From 2007 to 2009 Mike’s fund has sponsored 5 SHS students in this program, and will sponsor 2 additional students each year over the next 5 years. This will bring the total committed by Mike’s fund to the Sponsor-A-Scholar program to $147,500.

3) Memorial Fund Guidelines:

The awards to Graduates of Schenectady High School are based on the personality and character traits of the applicant and his or her relationship with others, as well as academics and financial need. Successful applicants are ones who are well respected by his or her peers and also ones who show respect to the faculty, fellow students, and others in the community. Input from a steering committee of faculty members is very important in making these determinations.

At Loyola College the determinations for the awards are made by the college’s Financial Aid Office applying the criteria established for the award.

The Sponsor-a-Scholar awards are made by the Capital Region Sponsor-a-Scholar program based on their criteria. For further information on this program visit their web site at www.crsas.org .

Please contact Mike’s parents Ed or Kay Canty with any questions at 518-346-7138.

Canty Financial Management and the Michael Canty Memorial Fund are separate and independent entities. 

Thank-you for your interest in The Michael Canty Memorial Fund. Please join us in honoring Mike by moving forward… to live life to the fullest… to treat each day as a gift.